Detective Chief Superintendent Peter McPhillips said: “We have spoken to some witnesses and there have been some incidents during the course of the day, so we think that it has been a targeted attack against Lee Pettite.”

Police would not confirm any more details of where and when these incidents took place, and how many people were involved in the incident which saw Mr Pettite receive his injuries.

“One of our lines of inquiry is to identify witnesses, it was around about 5.15pm yesterday afternoon, we would expect that there would be lots of people round in the area, and we are making appeals now to identify those witnesses and ask them to come forward,” he continued.

In a statement, Det Ch Supt McPhillips described how police believe Mr Pettite received his injuries on Woodcock Close, where he lived, before staggering towards Oakley Close, around half a mile away, where he received medical attention.

He later died in James Cook University Hospital, after air ambulance paramedics administered a blood transfusion at nearby Flatts Lane.

Police say they are still looking for other people who may have been involved.

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A 22-year-old man from the Eston area has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.

Extra patrols will be on the streets of Bankfields, Eston and Normanby to “reassure the public” in the coming days.

“Because it was a targeted attack, we don’t think there is a danger to the rest of the public. We are doing some reassurance patrols in the area, and I don’t foresee that we will get some further attacks.”

Det Chf Supt McPhillips said: “Certainly, some of the witnesses we have spoken to talk about hearing a firearm discharged and again that is a line of inquiry for us but I am not able to confirm that at the moment.”

He was also unable to confirm if any weapons have been found at the scene.

Cleveland Police have taped off areas around Oakley Walk, Gorsefield Court and Woodcock Close where two police vans remain in attendance.

A forensic investigation tent has also been set up outside a house on Oakley Walk.

Speaking after a press conference today, Det Chf Supt McPhillips said he was not linking Mr Pettite’s death with two other incidents which have happened locally over the past two weeks.

On Friday, a man was attacked with a knife outside the Premier Shop on Hollywalk Avenue in Normanby, yards from where Mr Pettite sustained his injuries.

And a fortnight ago, a man was robbed near Moorcock Close in Bankfields as he lay unconscious after suffering a seizure.

“It would obviously be a line of inquiry but we do not think that those incidents are linked to this incident,” said Det Chf Supt McPhillips.